Apple Sauce-low to no added sugar

Use those apples that are awesome right now and make a delicious low sugar sauce to put on top of chicken, turkey, or to snack on.  If you're craving a warm, and comforting dessert-heat a little apple sauce up and it'll satisfy you (without added fat and sugar)!

.

 Directions:
1) Cut up apples (easiest way is to use an apple peeler).  You can keep skins on if you don't mind the fact that some will be floating around in sauce (does provide added fiber and nutrients, however).  The total amount of apples you use depends on how much sauce you want.  It does cook down a lot.

2)  Place in a large pot with a little bit of orange juice to prevent browning

3)  Add cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, and depending on amount of apples being used, add water or cider to prevent sticking and to allow apples to steam. *we use a large soup pot and add about 2 -3 cups of liquid and about 4 tsp cinnamon and 2 tsp nutmeg (adjust accordingly to taste)

4) Allow pot to steam and come to a slight boil, stirring to prevent sticking.

5) Once apples have cooked down and have mushed out, taste.  You can add a little bit of honey at this time. To a large pot we add no more than 1/3 cup of honey to keep added sugars low.

6) To save you sauce you can put into freezer containers or can.  To can, place hot apple sauce into hot jars, leaving 1" head space.  Place lids on and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes (pints) and 15 minutes (quarts).


Nutritional Benefits:
Little to no added sugar
No Fat
Cinnamon: aids in blood circulation
Apples: High in fiber and Vitamin C, a vitamin that aids in healing and disease prevention (anti-oxidant), soluble fiber helps to improve heart health by lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.  In 1 small apple there is 17% of your daily fiber needs and 14% of Vitamin C, so by consuming applesauce, you are consuming a great quantity of apples, and therefore fiber and Vitamin C amount (just watch total sugar)

Slammin' Salsa!

If you currently have an overabundance of tomatoes from the garden, the farmers market, or a CSA share-make SALSA!

 Salsa is high in nutrients and has zero fat! Great as a salad dressing, as a topping on fish, or to spice up your burritos, salsa is not just for chips!

Grab some of those in season green and banana peppers and get going! **Did you know green peppers are packed with Vitamin C, a vitamin that helps you heal?

**You Have To Peel Those Tomatoes:

The most annoying thing about making salsa is you have to peel those tomatoes.  To do so: 

1. Bring a pot to a boil.  
2. Mark the bottoms of each tomato with an X shaped slash (you can do this as you place them into the pot)
3. Drop in tomatoes for about 2-3 minutes, or until you see skin just start to peel
4. Take them out and place into a cold ice bath to stop cooking
5. Peel skins off

-Alternative: you can freeze tomatoes with skin on.  When you are ready to use them, the skins will peel right off while slightly thawed

Ingredients (recipe is easily doubled or tripled depending on how many tomatoes you have!):

• 10 cups (about 6 pounds) tomatoes (peeled)
• 2 c of chopped banana peppers or hotter peppers depending on your taste (wear gloves)
• 5 c of chopped green or assorted red and green peppers
• 4 cups of onions (about 1.5 pounds)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1.5 tbsp salt
• 3/4-1c apple cider vinegar (depending on how juicy watery your tomatoes are-if they are very juicey like ours, reduce the amount of vinegar or your salsa will be too soupy)
• optional: 1 tsp hot sauce

Directions (makes about 9 pints)

1. Place all of the above ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes
2. If canning: pour hot salsa into hot jars.  Place into a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

**recipe adapted from Ball canning recipe

*Use as a heart healthy topping for seafood or chicken

Nutritional Benefits:
Tomatoes: High in Lycopene, an anti-oxidant that prevents cancer
Peppers: High in Vitamin C, promotes healing and disease prevention (196% of daily needs!-1 cup has more than 2x's the amounts of an orange)

Garlic: Anti-inflammatory and aids in blood circulation/cardiovascular health
Apple Cider Vinegar: lowers blood sugar levels, can aid in heart health/blood circulation/lowering blood pressure